Otters Dance: A Rancher's Journey to Enlightenment and Stewardship

by Bob Budd

Overview

“Otters Dance is a treatise on ranching, conservation, wildlife, family, and most of all a unique appreciation of our home state of Wyoming...This is an absolute must-read for anyone who wants to understand the landscape, history, and culture of the rural Mountain West.” — C. J. Box, #1 New York Times Best-Selling Author of Shadows Reel As a boy, Bob Budd grew up on the land with the wind at his back and the wide vista of Wyoming ranchland stretching before him. His family ranch in Wyoming was passed down, alongside an undying reverence for the land, from generation to generation. Budd spent his childhood learning skills and pocketing wisdom from his family, the ranch, and their community. Otters Dance is a story of stewardship from a perspective not often heard from— the rancher. It tells of the rhythms of the land, of the people and creatures that make it special, and the ways we can protect it, sharing a universal message about the importance of caring for our natural world. It is an elegy to the place that made Bob Budd who he is today and asks the reader to take some of that love and care back to the places that have imprinted themselves on their lives.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781682753408
Publisher:	Fulcrum Publishing
Publication date:	10/04/2022
Pages:	280
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 7.90(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Bob Budd, Cheyenne WY, Bob Budd has a Master of Science degree in Range Management, and Bachelor of Science degrees in Agricultural Business and Animal Science, all from the University of Wyoming. He is also trained in Holistic Resource Management, and is a Certified Professional in Rangeland Management. He is a past-president of the international Society for Range Management and the Wyoming Chapter of the Wildlife Society. He has facilitated development of management plans for the Big Sandy River, Sage-grouse, and Bighorn Sheep in Wyoming. Bob and his wife Lynn live in Cheyenne and have three children, Joe, Jake, and Maggie.

Table of Contents

Introduction xi

Griffey Hill 1

The Willows 8

Where Will the Moose Live? 17

Beck Place 33

Pretty Blue Car 44

Canary in a Willow Bush 53

Rock in the River 62

Colors and Words 76

Shades of Gray 90

Bluebirds and Black Cows 107

Gifts from Old Cowboys 117

McChesney Bit 121

Ears Forward 133

Otters Dance 136

The Cinnamon Mare 153

Froggy Went a Courtin' and He Did Ride 169

The Smell of Dirt 180

From the Land 189

Buying Bulls 194

Managing for Sustainability 201

The Test 213

Common Sense 219

Sagebrush and Snow 224

Eyes on Fire 228

I'll Get the Gate 234

Forgiveness 241

Sanctuary 247

Epilogue 255

Acknowledgments 261

About the Author 263

Editorial Reviews

"The essays in this collection come from a lifetime of observing, listening to, and studying the land and the old-timers who were here before us. –C.J. Box, #1 New York Times Best-Selling Author of Shadows Reel
 
This is a book of wonders, revealing the enchantment of the natural world through the eyes of the keenest of observers. It is a book of science, explaining the interrelationship of humans, animals, habitat, and natural cycles with accessible and indelible clarity. Most of all, it is a book of hope...– Teresa Jordan, Author of Riding the White Horse Home and, The Year of Living Virtuously (Weekends Off)
 
Otters Dance rejuvenates the optimism that we can persevere with humility, grace, and a good deal of humor through difficult times. Growing up in Wyoming is special. – Mark Gordon, Governor of Wyoming
 
 A great read allowing us to laugh and ponder our place in the universe at the same time.”
– Former Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal
 
Bob is smart, funny, and knowledgeable and his writing reflects that. True compassion for a landscape and a lifestyle. Otters Dance is worthwhile, a great addition to anyone’s bookshelf.
– Mary B. Flitner, Author of My Ranch, Too
 
Otters Dance shares the magic and wonder of Wyoming through the eyes of one who knows that the state and her people are special. – Matt Mead, Former Wyoming Governor
 
 Bob Budd writes like a poet and thinks like an ecologist. He has given us precious essays that entwine people and land – for the better.
– Richard Knight, Professor Emeritus of Wildlife Conservation Colorado State University
 
Every essay in Otters Dance reflects his deep appreciation for the diversity of people and landscapes we coinhabit with the whole of life on earth. – Fred Provenza, Professor Emeritus at Utah State University and the author of Nourishment
 
Otters Dance invites you to hunker down in the willow thickets, get your boots wet, and listen.  When you are comfortable and think you know where you are, you’ll be led to the far horizon or Mongolia or the neighbor’s kitchen table to challenge your perspectives. Nature is change and chaos, Budd writes, but constant in his story is the power of love for the land and an open heart to try, fall, and try again. Both intimate and expanding, Otters Dance is a trustworthy companion across the Wyoming miles.

• Laura Bell, East Yellowstone Regional Director, LegacyWorks Group and Author of Claiming Ground.

 
“I read it in two evenings of pure delight. Bob Budd is an amazing writer. I adore the spirit he captured in the intimate sharing of the adventurous child he was.”
– Sherri Lovercheck, Reader
 
“Budd’s writing is both clear and beautiful at the same time, and that is damn hard to do.  His subject matter are the irresistible forces of history and nature that have shaped, and continue to shape, Wyoming and her people, and how we have responded to them.
–Rod Miller, Cowboy State Daily
 
I can't wait to recommend the book to friends, family, and colleagues!  And I love the illustrations. Now, I just want to sit over a cold one and hear more! Every story in Bob’s book leads me to want to ask more and learn more. He truly captures the most important things in life—integrity, honor, respect, curiosity, passion, and loyalty.”  
–Heather Johnson, Retired Regional Chief, Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, US Fish and Wildlife Service
 
“Well-written and thought-provoking, [Otters Dance] has life lessons to which all who live in Wyoming (and the rural West) can relate. Budd masterfully provides insights and brings better understanding about those who lived and live on the land, and what it takes to achieve conservation success that will be meaningful and enduring.”
– Larry Lee Kruckenberg, author of Big Bend Country Country: A Journey of Good Times, Hard Times, and Hope, and No One Dare Call Her A Liar.
 
“Otters Dance is a damn fine book. I genuinely hope it sells a million copies. The message needs to be heard, and understood, by many people.”
- Tom Ryder, Past President, The Wildlife Society, and Editor of State Wildlife and Conservation
 
“The entirety of the book is clearly a labor of insightful life experiences that will keep the reader invested in the exploration of a man's life and love for Wyoming.”
–Will Carpenter, Wyoming Tribune-Eagle, Cheyenne

"A great read allowing us to laugh and ponder our place in the universe at the same time." —Dave Freudenthal, Former Wyoming Governor

"Bob Budd writes like a poet and thinks like an ecologist. He has given us precious essays that entwine people and land – for the better." —Richard Knight, Professor Emeritus of Wildlife Conservation, Colorado State University

"Bob is smart, funny and knowledgeable and his writing reflects that. True compassion for a landscape and a life-style. Otters Dance is worthwhile, a great addition to anyone's bookshelf." —Mary B. Flitner, Author of My Ranch, Too

"Every essay in Otters Dance reflects his deep appreciation for the diversity of people and landscapes we co-inhabit with the whole of life on earth." —Fred Provenza, Professor Emeritus at Utah State University and the author of Nourishment

"Otters Dance rejuvenates the optimism that we can persevere with humility, grace, and a good deal of humor through difficult times. Growing up in Wyoming is special." —Mark Gordon, Governor of Wyoming

"Otters Dance shares the magic and wonder of Wyoming through the eyes of one who knows that the state and her people are special." —Matt Mead, Former Wyoming Governor

"This is a book of wonders, revealing the enchantment of the natural world through the eyes of the keenest of observers. It is a book of science, explaining the interrelationship of humans, animals, habitat, and natural cycles with accessible and indelible clarity. Most of all, it is a book of hope..." —Theresa Jordan, Author of Riding the White Horse Home and The Year of Living Virtuously (Weekends Off)

"Bob Budd offers a rare glimpse into the intimate relationships between people, land and wildlife in the American West." —Lesli Allison, Executive Director of Western Landowners Alliance

"I read Otters Dance as a cautionary tale, warning us against human hubris in the face of a natural world that we often try, and just as often fail, to control. We are part and parcel of the processes that shape our world; we are not overlords who can control it. As Budd says, 'I have learned not to argue with these things.' " —Rod Miller, Cowboy State Daily

"The entirety of the book is clearly a labor of insightful life experiences that will keep the reader invested in the exploration of a man's life and love for Wyoming." —Will Carpenter, Wyoming Tribune-Eagle, Cheyenne

From the Publisher